Taking time out for a little fun in the sun!

What a cutie pie!

Elly is lovin' the sun!

Four whole days into break and summer is in full swing. As a child summer means that your schedule suddenly opens up and it is nothing but time and carefree days. As a parent - IT IS NOT! I now have great understanding and compassion for my mom who was always more than ready for us to go back to school in the fall. I can't complain too much though. I've been loving hanging out with the girls, trying to sneak in some sun time when it decides to shine and above all being able to sleep until after 7 am! They have been so good about letting mom sleep in a little bit. I have given myself this week to be lazy but next week I'm determined to get back in the swing of things.

Today was a busy one! I headed to my Zumba class (my new addiction!) at the YMCA this morning. You can tell people are desperately trying to be ready for swimsuit season as the class size has almost tripled. It's almost comical to see 30 full grown women squished into the little room. We're all swinging our arms around and shaking our booties almost knocking the woman next to us down! It's hot, sweaty and TOUGH - but I love it!!! Next it was quick stop at home to eat lunch and scrub those teeth. I had set up denist appointments for all three of the girls on the same day. I know - I'm not sure what I was thinking the day I did this. I guess it was my attempt to kill not 2 but 3 birds with one stone. They actually did rather well! We went to a new denist that is specifically for kids. My girls thought they had died and gone to Heaven when we walked into what I could have possibly mistaken for a McDonanlds Playland had I not known better. Whoever came up with this kids dentist idea was a GENIOUS!!! I sat and filled out miles of paperwork while they all played in the tubes, on the slides and with the video game centers. Madyson and Elly did very well. Madyson does have to get some work done (which we already knew about) but also found out that she needs to have two teeth pulled. She's not thrilled at the idea but she decided that it would be better to have the dentist numb her mouth and take them out than to have to "twist and pull" (as he descibed it) on her own. This was Jorydn's first dentist appointment. She was completely freaked out when they wanted to put her in the chair and lean it back. Between the screams and cries of "that's scary" (he new favorite saying) I coaxed her back onto the chair. As the dentist counted her teeth she calmed down and counted along with him. They painted the flouride on her teeth and she told them all how "nummy" it was. They gave her a cute little rubber ducky to add to her ever growing collection and that was that. The only other problem I ran into was two hours later when it was time to leave. They weren't lying in the advertisment when they said that your kids won't want to leave.

Our weather has been pretty touch and go lately. Yesterday it got up to almost ninety. Today it's cool and windy. I snapped a few pictures of Elly and Jorydn while they played in the water yesterday. We're thinking about braving the crazy crowds and heading downtown for Hoopfest this weekend. Wish us luck - hopefully we'll come back in one piece and with all the kids in tow.

Hope you all have a great weekend with lots of fun and sunshine! Much love, Amy

Last Day of School

Madyson headed out to her last day of 3rd grade today. The kids all have to go to school until 10:15 this morning, then they are OUT FOR SUMMER!!! Our beautiful weather kind of turned to gloom today but her beautiful smile makes it feel like the sun is shining bright. I can't begin to describe how proud I am of my little girl (well, technically not so little anymore!). She is turning into such a beautiful, smart and compassionate young lady.

Past, Present and Future

So as promised, a few pictures from the Sentinel High School Class of 1999 Ten Year Reunion!!! I have to say that all in all it was sadly disappointing. It was fun to hang out with the girls again and I am glad that I went. I'm not sure what I expected to get out of it, but I'm pretty sure that whatever it was I didn't get it. Or maybe I did! A chance to really see who I was and who I've become. It was almost as if some of the people that I went to school with were still living like they still were. I'm so happy with where I am at and what is to come for my family in the next 10 years.

Speaking of the future - Terry and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary on Tuesday! It really is hard to believe that 8 years have already gone by. I feel like we are still in our "honeymoon" stage and people often mistake us for newlyweds. We have to laugh at that as we tell them about our 6 children!!! But truly, I love him more every single day. He is the best friend that I have ever had and he makes me happier that I could have dreamed of. I get to be held and loved and told that I am beautiful every day of my life and I can't imagine anything better than that. As I said in my card to him this year, someday when were are old, wrinkly and fat I will still look at him and love him just a little more each day. I look forward to the next 50 years with the best man in the world!

Today was officially Elly's last day of Kindergarten - until next year. For those of you who don't already know we have decided to continue on with another year of kindergarten . We actually made the decision last fall. She in a summer baby and won't turn 6 until next month so technically we enrolled her a little early. She went to a half day school this year and will go to a full day class (at big sister Madyson's school) next year. I was really struggling with my decision at the beginning of the year not sure if I had made the right choice or not. But our little Elly fit right in and did soooo well! I just got her final report card and she is at or above grade level in just about everything! I actually questioned sending her on to 1st grade next year but we think that one more year will give her "age" a chance to catch up with everyone elses. We are so very proud of her!!!

As I sat rocking my baby to sleep tonight I got a little weepy. Jordyn loves to be rocked and sang to at night. She is also 2 1/2 years old and I know that pretty soon she'll be a big girl that no longer needs mommy to rock her to sleep. It is thrilling and bittersweet to watch your children grown up. Seeing them experience all the miracles of this life is priceless. You feel so proud to see them become more and more independent but can't help feel a little helpless. There was a time in life when they depended on your for their every need. It is so hard to let go of that...... I feel like I am entering a new stage in my journey as a mother and I am both sad and excited. I look forward to the new things that we will be able to do together but I will miss the things that we no longer will do. But for those of you who have read the book "I'll Love You Forever" I think it'll be okay if sometimes I sneak into their rooms at night, get them out of bed and rock them in my arms singing " I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be". And for those of you who haven't read that book - DO IT!!!

Love to you all!

-Amy

10 years later...

So tomorrow I will load up the family (yes - all 7 of us) and head over to Missoula, MT. Why? Well, my 10 year high school reunion is this weekend. Seems kind of strange to me how fast (and sometime slow!) the last ten years have gone by. I thought it would be fun to remember some of the "major" life events that have happened in the last 10 years so here goes......

My beautiful daughter Madyson was born

I married the most wonderful man in the world! (PS - We will be celebrating our 8th anniversary next week)

I have moved 7 times!!!! YUCK!

I lost 40 pounds!!! - and have been battling with 10 of them ever since - lose, gain, lose, gain.......

My sweet little Elly was born.

I bought my dream car (My candy apple red Durango)

I bought my first house.

I sold my dream car :( and bought a mini-van - SAD day!!!

I got pregant with my "surprise" baby!

Baby Jordyn arrived!!!

I went through a VERY tramatic and life changing event with one of my children - An experience that has forever changed who I am.

Two of my stepchildren have moved in and now permanently live with us.

For the past 6 years I have been involved with in an incredible women's ministry and for 5 of the 6 years been in a position of leadership within this organization.

Wow - I guess it's not so hard to imagine the time flying by when I actually look at where I've been and what I've done. Though my life has definitely not taken the path that I planned it has been fulfilling and amazing in ways that I never dreamed of. I look forward to seeing the people that I went to high school with and where their lives have taken them. It will be fun to see who married who, who has kids and who is just the same as the day they graduated! I'll post some pictures next week.

Here's just a few fun pictures that I took. When my mom was here last weekend we got to have a fun girls night out. We went to dinner at PF Changs and then to The Melting Pot for dessert. I had so much fun with her!!! She loved the chocolate fondue (but probably not as much as me!!!).

The other pictures are from the massive water fight that the boys got into a couple days ago. The girls eventually got in on it, although they did take it much easier on them.

Also - a new Elly-ism for you! (Inspired by my friend's The Miller's

- We were driving yesterday and Elly was sounding out words. She has begun to read and wants to know how to spell everything. She noted that the words beer and beard were the same except for the D sound at the end of beard. After some serious contemplation she asked " Mom, do you grow a beard if you drink beer?" I told her no, but that there would be a lot of teenage boys drinking a lot of beer if that were true. Heehee!

7 days until the kids are out of school......... With 6 kids and me alone in the house for the summer I'm sure I will have all kinds of stories to share with you. That is if I survive it!!! Pray for my sanity!

-Amy

8 months later.........

So, my motivation to keep this blog up to date has been sadly lacking!!! I do think about posting often, I just don't follow through. So sorry to all you out there that enjoy reading this. I do have great excuses (tons and tons of them!!!) but today is as good a day as any to hop back on the blogging bandwagon.

I think about the events of the past 8 months and feel extremely overwhelmed with trying to remember and write about each one! So for the most part I'm not going to! I have however jam packed this posting with lots and lots of pictures for you all to enjoy!

I will mention, for those of you who don't already know, that two of Terry's son's now permanently reside with us here in Washington. They moved here on Febuary 1st of this year and it has been a challenge and transition to say the very least. We will be filing for full custody of them this summer and though it is not an easy or fun choice to make it is something that needs to be done. Despite what they may think they are truly much better off here.

Terry's oldest son, Chance, graduated valedictorian from Natrona County High School in Casper this month. He will be visiting us for a while this summer (I don't know where he will sleep or what he will eat!) and then heads of to Penn State in August! It is funny to think that the mischevious little boy I meet 9 years ago is now a man headed of to some prestigious college! Actually, it makes me start to feel a little old.

Chase will finish up his sophmore year, Cameron 7th grade, Madyson 3rd grade and Elly half day kindergarten in a couple of weeks. The poor kids don't get out for summer break until June 19! What happened to being released Memorial Day weekend and starting up again just after Labor Day??? Oh well, with 6 kids in the house all day long this summer I will be grateful for the expedited vacation!!!

As for our little Jordyn, she turned 2 in January and is now talking up a storm. People are continually amazed by her large vocabulary! As I stand there beaming with pride she sweetly tells me to "shutup! An affectionate term that she has recently learned from her big brothers. We're working on the one!

I have really been enjoying the beautiful weather that we are having here. After the crazy long, cold winter we had the sun feels sooooooooooo nice. I actually got out and worked on the yard today. Yes, I did say that I worked on the yard! Weird huh! I am not a fan of yard care, gardening, etc.............. I don't plant or grow much of anything with the exception of the tulip bulbs that I planted last fall. I was SOOOOOOOOO pround of myself when the little green patches started to sprout out of the ground this spring. I was actually quite amazed that something that I touched was really growing. I had picked out this bag of beautiful dark purple and pink bulbs from Costco. I assumed it was a "mixed" bag. I planted half of them to the right side of my stairs and the other half to the left side. After weeks of anticipations they finally bloomed and to my horror my "mixed" bags was sooo not mixed. All the flowers on the right side were dark purple and all the flowers on the left side were pink. Hmmm - all I could do was laugh at myself and remember why it is that I don't garden! Heheheh - such an "Amy" moment.

Last weekend my mom and I, along with my aunt Sue, aunt Pauline, cousin Kathryn, cousin Katie and a few other of their friends went to the Women of Faith conference here in Spokane. I really needed a "spiritual pick-me-up" and that it was. Sometimes I get so caught up in the business of my life I forget to take each day as the gift that it is. I say that today knowing what the last few hours have entailed (puking, picking up kids from the school clinic, crying, 3 poopy diapers, various snot nose wipes, cooking, cleaning, on the verge of tears more than once) and what the day still has left to throw at me. Yet here I am - living, breathing, saved and free! I am the beautiful daughter to a KING. He knows my every joy, struggle, fear, pain and weakness and He loves me just the same. He knows that I yelled at my child today and he forgives me. He knows that I look at my legs in the shorts that the 85 degree weather has forced me to wear and wish they looked differently and he reminds me that I am exactly the way He created me and that I am and will always be beautiful in His eyes. He knows that that I have hopes and dreams for the future that I sometimes want to give up on because on that day I can't seem to see past my circumstances and He reminds me that "in this world there will be trouble, but fear not, for I have overcome the world!!!" Yes, today is a good day. Tomorrow will be a good day too!!!

I love you all! Hope you enjoy the pictures! And I will give it my ALL to do better and updating this page! I love keeping in contact with you all and miss you very much!!!

-Amy